Beauty without animals.

In 2016, the european union is praising a lot by introducing a general ban on cosmetics tested on animals. This brought an end to twenty years of campaigning against this form of animal suffering in the EU. A ban on animal testing for cosmetics with rabbits, mice, rats and guinea pigs during the manufacturing process already existed. But now no animals tested on animals can be sold any more. and yet the debate about animal testing continues.

Why? Simply put, cosmetic testing is still allowed in eighty percent of the countries. For example, international companies that want to sell their products in China are tested on animals. These companies have therefore adjusted their animal proof statement and acknowledge that they do test animals if it is required by law. There are also discusses about trial-free subsidiaries of companies that do test on animals.

A good example of this was the connection of The Body Shop of which L’oreal was the owner. Now that is Nature. If the name already gives away, this company is more in line with the The Body Shop ideals. Cosmetic animal testing is not prohibited in the USA. There are often doubts about the need for cosmetic animal testing. Because of the long history of experimenting, there is now a wide choice of ingredients that have been tested on animals and are considered safe and effective.

This, however, again raises discussion about product improvement. According to experts from the cosmetics industry, the ban raises questions about the innovation of new products.

Tried and tested.

Cosmetics are mainly tested on the skin and in the eyes of the animals. Small mammals eat substances or breathe them, get them dipped in the eyes or rubbed or injected into the skin. Often they are followed for a while and then killed, to analyze the effects on internal tissue and organs. That is very intense, whether or not you are an animal lover.

In the course of time however, animal-free alternatives have been developed that are also considered more reliable by activists. These new alternatives are better at predicting human reactions. This includes computerized models of human skin that have been developed legally to analyze skin irritation. Donated tissue can also be used, for example from cosmetic surgery, and the skin sensitivity can be predicted with proteins in a test tube.

Moreover, the animal test method has not always proved reliable. Hydroquinone, which is widely used in creams against dark spots, is a classic example. Although there was evidence of carcinogenic effects in mice and rats, These were not found in humans and were considered safe. Since then, however, it has been linked to severe skin problems and even an increased risk of melanoma. In Europe it is prohibited in 2001. Despite the available alternatives and concerns about the reliability of animal testing, Is there is still a long way to go. It is sad that certain companies are only willing to test animal test free if they are required by law.

What you can do.

So officially every business needs to make money to keep alive. So at the end of the road it’s the consumer that has the power to change things. If we only bought cruelty free there will exist only cruelty free products. And starting this doesn’t need much effort after a bit of research. I got a list for you to get started. You can find it here.